Tubing catcher



w. MEREDITHJAND w: FOSTER,

1 -TUB!NG CAT-CHER.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17. I921.

A TTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 5, i922.

* entree stares.

WILLIAM MEREDITH, OF HUNTINGTON BEACH, AND WALTER L. FOSTER, OF WHIT-' Inane] earner atr a-ea.

- TIER, CALIFORNIA.

'runme CATCHER.

Application filed December '17, 1921. Serial No 523,197.

T all whom it may concern: I Be it known that we, WILLIAM MEREDITH,residing at Huntington Beach, in the county of Orange, State ofCaliforn1a,' and WALTER L. FOST R, residing at lvhittier, n the countyof Los Angeles and State of Cal1fornia,'both citizens of the UnitedStates, have invented new and useful Improvements in a Tubing Catcher,of which the following is a specification; l

This invention relates to a device adapted to be mounted upon the tubingextending into a well, and is intended to catch and hold the tubing fromdropping into the well, due

object of this invention to provide atubing catcher which may be clampedupon the tubing and in no way forms a part of the passage through thetubing. It isthe practice to'provide tubing catchers which comprise bodyhaving a bore, thls' body being connected into the tubing systemso as tobe] in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tubing catcher mounted upona sectionof tubing; .and Fig. 2 is a planview showing the catcher in openposition ready to be applied in the string bf tubing.

Referring more particularly to the-draw 0 ing, 3 indicates a section oftubing connected to another section 4 by means of aocouplln'g I 5, thisbeing the usual formation'of a string of tubing as used in oil wells.The mandrel or body of the catcher is split to form halves 6 and 7 whichare similarin construction- The halves are pivotally connected to eachother at one.end by links as indicated. by 8 and '9. Intermediate theends of the body it is tapered to form an inclined seatvfor slips toride upon. When the halves of the body are brought together and held inthis position, there is a bore formed extending to accidental parting ofthe same. It is an completelythrough the" body from end to end. Thisbore is indicated by 10, and adjacent the top is enlarged to receive thecoupllng 5 as best shown in Fig. 1. The body is looked upon the tubingby means of screws 12 and 13. The collar formed on the lower part of thebody is provided with bores in which are slidably mounted stems 15' and16. Upon the ends of the stems are slips 17 and 18. The slips have innerfaces to conform to the shape of the tapered portion of the body andouter faces which form portions of a cylindrical surface.-v Teeth areformed upon the outer faces of the slip to engage andgrip thecasing. Itwill be noted that {upon moving theslips upwardly they are expanded.Below the. body: is a split sleeve indicated by 19-. The sleeve ishinged atone side' and is provided with a rib 20 having ends which mayoverlap and be secured together by means ofa bolt 21. Ears 22 and 23serve for securing the stems 15 and 16 to the sleeve. Interposed betweenthe slips and the collar 14: of the mandrel are compression .springs'24and 25 tending to hold the slips in their upper position. However, theweight of the slips, stems, and sleeves 19 are such as to compress thesprings and to hold the slips in a lower position.

On inserting the tubing in the well, at the v position that it, isdesired to place the catcher, the latter is attached "in thefollowing'mannert The body'- of the catcher is open I as indicated inFig. 2, as is also the sleeve 19. The catcher is then slipped about thetubing sothat a coupling is disposed in the recess 11 and the halves arethen brought together..

Screws 12 and 13 are tightened and nuts 21 placed in position, therebysecurely clampingthe catcher to the tubing.

The catcher Works in a manner well known. With any sudden and violentmovement of'thetubing, such as would be caused by the tubing breakingand falling, in accordance with the laws of, falling bodies, the weight.of both slips and the associated parts with respectto the body becomeszero and the tensionof springs 24 and 25 causes the slips to be movedupwardly and'outwardly on' the body. I The expansion of the slips con-'tinue until they grip the sidesof the casing What we claim is;

A tubing catcher comprising a split 1'05. and prevent further droppingof the tubing.

' body arranged to be clamped about the tubing, and slips slidablymounted on Sfilul bodyso as to be expended 2. A tubing catchercomprising a split tspered body arranged to be clumped about the tubing,and slips slidebly mounted upon said body so as to be expended in theirmove ment hereslong.

3. A tubing catcher comprising 21 body split in halves and hinged at oneside, icecesses iii said halves to receive tubing, means to lock thefteesides of said halves and theremet-ins look the free sides of saidhalves so as to clamp said body to'the tubing, and slips slidablymounted on said body so es to be expended in their movement thereelong.

5. A tubing cetchei" comprising a tapered body split in halves-endhinged at one side, there being recesses in said halves with anenlargement at one portion so i receive tubing and e coupling, means tolook the "free sides of said halves and slips slidebly mount ed on saidbody so as to'be expended-iii their movement thei'eelong.

In Witness that We claim the foregoing We have hereunto subscribed ourmemes;

